Appearance Quotes
Wonder and not any expectation of advantage from its discoveries, is the first principle which prompts mankind to the study of Philosophy, of that science which pretends to lay open the concealed connections that unite the various appearances of nature.
"Wonder and not any expectation of advantage from its discoveries, is the first principle which prompts mankind to the study of Philosophy, of that science which pretends to lay open the concealed connections that unite the various appearances of nature."— Adam Smith
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Meaning of this quote
Wonder, rather than immediate practical advantage, is presented as the starting point of philosophical inquiry.
Key takeaway:
Make room for curiosity whose usefulness is not yet clear.
Origin of the quote
Essays on Philosophical Subjects (1795), The History of Astronomy
Who actually said this?
The History of Astronomy, section III, has “Wonder, therefore, and not any expectation…”; supplied “therefore” omitted.
